COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. 
239 
pedited the work in hand, but would have spared 
the men much laborious fatigue and exposure 
to the effects of a vertical sun: all difficulties 
and obstacles were, however, met and over- 
come with the greatest zeal and perseverance, 
and the works proceeded with such spirit and 
alacrity, that we were enabled to sail for Bom- 
bay on the 13th of November, without expo- 
sing the new settlement either to the jealousy 
of the Malays, or the mischievous attack of the 
natives. No traces of the former people were 
observed at this place, nor any of the trepang, 
that would be their sole inducement for visiting 
it. Not one native made his appearance before 
the early part of November, when, as if by 
signal, a party of about eighteen on each shore 
communicated with us on the same day, and 
were very friendly, although exceedingly sus- 
picious and timid. They would not venture 
within the line of the outer hut, and always 
came armed, but laid aside their spears and 
clubs whenever friendly signs vrere made. On 
the second day of their visit, I was greatly asto- 
nished to see amongst them a young man of 
about twenty years of age, not darker in colour 
than a Chinese, but with perfect Malay features, 
and like all the rest, entirely naked: he had 
daubed himself all over with soot and grease, to 
